This section is intended to provide a background or context to the invention that is recited in the claims. The description herein may include concepts that could be pursued, but are not necessarily ones that have been previously conceived or pursued. Therefore, unless otherwise indicated herein, what is described in this section is not prior art to the description and claims provided herein and is not admitted to be prior art by inclusion in this section.
Placeshifting technology has recently become a popular means to deliver audio/video content from one device to another device. In particular, placeshifting technology is generally used to retrieve audio/video content from a first device, such as a television, computer, or cable box, and transmit the audio/video content to another device over a communication network, such as the Internet. This essentially allows for access to the audio/video content intended for the first device from anywhere in the world via the second device. For example, a placeshifting device may be connected to a user's cable box and be used to stream signals over the Internet to a user's computer, laptop, or hand held device in a different geographic location.
While many users appreciate the ability to access audio/video content from anywhere in the world via a network connection, placeshifting technology presents a significant problem with respect to copyrights and other digital or distribution rights. In particular, content providers are concerned that placeshifting devices allow audio/video content to be distributed to unintended recipients and/or unintended destinations. For example, a placeshifting device can be used to send pay-per-view content across the Internet to a user who has not paid for the content. Moreover, a placeshifting device can be used to send audio/video content to a geographic location that would otherwise be restricted due to, e.g., purchase program rights for a specific region or blackout restrictions for a specific region.
In the context of sports broadcasting, placeshifting technology presents a problem for sports leagues such as Major League Baseball (MLB) because MLB and/or its affiliate Major League Baseball Advanced Media (MLBAM) broadcasts various baseball games on a subscription-only basis. Moreover, MLB and/or MLBAM restricts access to games if the receiving device is in a certain geographic region or is within a certain distance of a stadium. Because placeshifting technology allows users to circumvent these restrictions, it would be advantageous to provide an efficient process by which a content provider could prevent placeshifting devices from re-transmitting protected content, or otherwise place placeshifting devices on notice that specific content is protected.